Splitting machine



Mar. 13, 1923. 1,448,046.

w. c. STEWART.

SPLIITING MACHINE. v

FILED FEB. 20, 1919 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Mar. 13, 1923.

I W. C. STEWART.

SPLITTING MACHINE.

FILED FEB. 20,1919.

A m m W. C. STEWART.

SPLITTING MACHINE.

HLED FEB. 20, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Patented Mar. 13, 1923,

WILLIAM c. STEWART,I 9F sWA MPsqQT'T,

lyggesmeeewig,

OF NEW JERSEY.

1 0 all whom it mag 0011667 90:

min Improvements in Splitting Mitifhihes,"

The gage roll is rotated from a driving pinion 11 through a large gear 13, which is fast to the shaft of the gage roll, and the shafts of the gage and the feed rolls are geared together in the usual manner, not shown, to cause the rolls to rotate at equal velocities but in opposite directions. At the rear of the rolls is the usual splitting knife 15. The bearings of the feed roll 7 are held up against the usual stops by the usual heavy springs and the upward movement of thegage roll 9 is limited by contact of inclines on the tops of the bearings with the usual wedges 17, which may be adjusted lengthwise of the roll. The construction, which has been briefly outlined above and is only partially shown in the drawings, is

. old and well known, and an example of it may be seen in detail in the patent to Nash Ordinarily the gage roll is normally held to vthe upper limit of its bodily movement, but in the present machine this roll 9 is held normally down in contact with the feed roll by springs 19 which bear at their lower ends against lugs formed on the bearings of the roll shaft and at their upper ends against the frame of the machine, these springs being of less strength than those which support the lower roll. When a sole blank is presented to the rolls, the first effect of its entry between the rolls is thus to lift the gage roll, and this movement is utilized to control the locking and unlocking of a trans,- ferring or delivery means in the form of a chute 21. This chute is fast to or integral with a sleeve 23 which is rotatably mounted on a rotary shaft 25 and is normally held in the horizontal position shown, so as to deliver to the succeeding mechanism a blank which has passed through a preceding mechanism, by a spring 27 (Fig. 3) coiled about the shaft 25 and having one end fast to the sleeve 23 and the other fast to a stationary headed sleeve 29 which is loose on the shaft but fastened by a set screw 30 to the frame of the machine and may be adjusted about the shaft, if desired, to vary the tension of the spring. n

In order to lock the chute in the position shown and to unlock it again, all for a purpose which will presently appear, a catch 31, pivoted at 33 to the frame of the machine, has a tail provided with a projectionv 35, they weight of the tail being sufficient when unopposed, to rock the catch about its pivot into position to engage anarm 37 which is fast to or integral with the sleeve 23 and hence with the chute 21. A lever 39 pivoted at 41 to the frame of the machine and at 43 to one of the bearings of the'gage roll shaft, normally engages the underside of the projection with its free end and is adapted tovhave-the freeendrnoved up over the projection if the gage roll is moved sufiiciently upwards. The catch 31 is thus moved for a short interval out of, engagement with the locking arm 37 every time a blank is fed between the rolls of the machine. If the blank is not thick enough to raise the upper roll to its limit and in addition to depress the lower roll more or less, then the chute remains in its horizontal position, and the blank passes over the knife 15 through the chute and is delivered to the succeeding mechanism.

The blank is fed along the chute by driven rollers 45 and co-operating idle rollers 4 the driven rollers being rotated by a chain 49 which passes around sprockets 51 on the roller shafts and around a sprocket on the shaft 25. The shaft 25 is driven by a gear 53 fast to the shaft which meshes with a pinion 55, said pinion being fast to a short shaft which also carries a gear 57 the lastnamed gear meshing with a large gear 59 fast to the shaft of the lower roll. The idle presser rollers 47 are rotatably mounted on the forward ends of arms 61 the rear ends of which, except those of the rearmost one, are pivoted at 63 to rods carried by the walls of the chute. The arms 61 of the rearmost presser roller 47 are pivoted about alined studs carried by the frame of the machine, the hubs of the arms encircling these studs and being held in place by screws 64. Springs 65 hold the presser rolls yieldingly down upon the blank, and members 67 integral with the arms 61 hold the blanks down and direct their forward ends to the bite of the feed and idle rollers of the chute.

with the rear end of the chute, carries a long bar 71 which extends through the machine from side to side. A pair of springs 73, which are normally under no tension but are stronger than the coiled spring 27 which maintains the chute normally in its horizontal position, are connected to the bar 71 so that a pull exerted upon the bar 71 through these springs will swing the chute downwardly to cause a blank to be delivered from the series of mechanisms preferably into a receptacle 75; These springs 73 are connected at their rear ends respectively to rocker arms 77, each rocker arm being pivoted at 79 to a plunger 81 which is vertically slidable in a socket member 83 and is normally held in the'position shown by a spring 85, said position being adjustable by means of an adjusting nut 87 threaded upon the reduced end of the plunger. A look nut 89 ensures the permanence of this adjustment. Each rocker arm has at its upper end a segmental portion triangular in cross-section which is always in register, but normally not in contact, with a grooved'collar 91 carried by the shaft of thelowerfor feed roll-7 When thefeed roll'is depressed sufficiently to cause the knife to remove a skiving froma blank that is when a sufficiently thick blank is presented to'the' maehinethe collars 91 engage the rocker arms 77 frictionally and swing them to the left, 'asviewed inFigs, l and;2,thereby swinging the chute downwardly into positionto deliver the skivedfor evened blank to the receptacle 75.

In order to=hold the chute in itsdownward 1 position after the rear end of the blankhas' passed from between the rolls oftheevening mechanism, a latch 93 is arranged to engage at th'e proper time a small roller 95 mounted on the lower end of the'arm 69: This latch is pivoted at 97 to the frame of the niechanism and has an upwardlyextending tail which is guided ina'groovein the' feed roll and extends into the path of: the blanks which are presented to the 'mechanism, so" that the first effect of presenting a blank to the" mechanism is to 'sw'ing the latch ina= clockwise direction about its pivot "97. rA- spring '99, fastened to the latclr-and to the the machine, tends at all times to" frameo'f pull the operative end of'the-latchup' into the pathof the roller 95 on the arm69, but,

until the rear end of the blank rides offthe tail, of the latch, this spring is ineffective;

The operation ofthe machine will now be described; In the drawings there has been shown only, oneevening mechanismand chute complete and part of aiol lowing evening mechanism! It may be that in some instances two'units arranged in series would 1 be satisfactory, but 1 usuallythree or more will be required. The first mechanism is constructed-in the present instance adjusted to operate only upon blanks above a given thickness, andthe remaining mechanisms are constructed each-to operate upon a thinner blank'thanis the preceding mech- 1 anism. The-sole blanks come to the operator of the present machine in acollection which is heterogeneous, among other characteristics, as to thickness; and the operator merely presents them oneby one to'the first mechanism of the series Assuming that a blank, which is presented to the n'iach1ne,is

too thin to be operated uponby the first mechanism-but sufficiently thick to be -op-' erated upon by the second mechanism, the effect of the blank upon-the mechanisms and the final result to I the blank will be as follows. i

Referringniore particularly to Figs. 1

and :2, as'the blank is presented 'to the rolls its forward end first rides over the tail of the latch 93,'thereby swinging the operative end of the latch downwardly. -Next it lifts the gage roll 9 and thereby shifts the "free en'd of the lever 39 over the proye'ct' 'on on the catch 34;. Inasmuch, however, as the position shown. Previously the/spring '99 has returnedxthe latch-93 to the position shown sothat the mechanism'lis all set-to receive another blank.

I Turning now tothe first blankwhichha's just been" presented to thesecond mechanism, 1 it will'be' understood that the second mechanism is exactly like the first except that the gage roll isipermitted to move upwardly a i I shorter distance-"a It may accordingly be assumed, 'for purposes of explanation, that a the figures of the drawing show this second mechanism. #As the forward end tot -the blank enters the mechanism, the tail of the latch93 is depresse'dand'the gage roll moved upwardlymto the extent of: itsflmovement,

thereby disengagingforan "intervalthe catch- 31 from the locking arm 37. I During or just prior to this' interval the lower roll- 7 is depressed thereby'causin d thecollars 91 toe'n'gage the'rocker 'arms l 7; and, di'irlng swinging 0f h Chute-resultsfrom the swinging ofthe-arm 69 so thatpresently the roller;- 95 on theend of the arm moves to the left past the hookv on theend of the latch 93. The spring 99-isat this time un- 'der tension to pull the latch 9311p into" the path of return of the roller- 95', but is pre- T vented from doing so :by the-engagement oi". the blankwith thetail of the latch. As

soon, however, as the rear end of the blank rides off the tail of-the latch, said latch rises under 'the force of the "springj99m-so that when the rear end ofthe blank passesfrom between the'bit'ej of the rolls 7 and 9 and there is 'nofurther pullby the rocker arms 77 to hold thechute downin position to deliver the blank to the receptacle,the

holding of the chute. is accomplished by the engagement o'f'thejlatch with the roller 95.

At the same time-that the rear end of the blank passes front between the-bite oi the rolls 7 and 9, the gage roll 9 moves down to its initial position thereby moving the end of the lever 39 from a positionabove the" projection35 to one'below it. :The

blank','which has been operated upon, is then deli'vered by the chute to the receptacle.- The firstresult of presenting another blank to the mechanismis to release the latch 93 from the roller 95, 'whereupon the coil'edspring '27 returns the chute to its non the i terval in Which thecatch 3'l'remains dise ngaged, the arms 77 arerocked to the i left to swing the chute down into position to deliver the blank tothe'receptacle; This:

malhorizontal position, andthe parts of th mechanism are in thepositirinsushown in. the drawings. .111 the course otthe return:

of the chute to normal positionv the arm 37 strikes the catch8l 'a. sharp blow. In order to prevent any considerable movement of. the catch about its pivot, as a result ofthis blow, the catch is-provided on.:its rear,

viewed in the figures, with a rib '32 over: :which a curved finger 34 on thearm .37

passes, there being of course, enough. space between the rib.v and finger. to: permit the catch to be swung at any.;time.1:by the arm 39 about the .pivot33 sutliciently to unlock the arm 37. The passing of asblank through only two units of the machinephas beenzdeseries, it should be understood that as many units as may be desired may be. used.

Theoperation of the mechanism has been described thusfar on the assumption that. each blankpresented to the rolls. 7' and 9 is of substantiallyuniform thickness throughout. This condition, however, doesnot 211-.

ways obtain, and a part ottheblanks willbe considerably thinner'at one end; than at. the

other or will have a thin locality somewhere:

between the endsor .willdififer otherwise in thickness at different localities. In order to promote brevity, let it be supposed that a givenblankis thick enough at. the ends.

to be evened by-the. first mechanism but has a locality: between the. ends extending across the blank which is too .thinto be. operated upon by the mechanism. If it werenot for the catch 31 and its associated parts such a blank would be delivered into the receptacle as afinished blank; but itwould be unsuitable for use in a shoe because. of the thin spot and should have been. carried on; tov

succeeding mechanisms until it had. been properly evened throughout. If such a blank is presented to the machine the operationcis as follows: The forward portion of the blank lowers. the latch- 93, moves the gage. roll upwardly to disengage the'catch 31, and: moves the presser roll downwardly, thereby: pulling the chute down. The splitting 0peration goes. onwith the parts in the-positions which have been indicated until. the; rolls encounter the thin locality. When this.

occurs, the feed roll risesso that there isno longer any pull exerted through the rocker arms77 to hold the chute in itsinclined; po-

sition. At once the coiled spring-2.7 returns the chute to its horizontal position, the end of the locking arm 37 being engaged" with the catch 31. The blank then passes along without being operated: upon until-L the thick portion at the rear off the blank .is: encountered. When this occurs, the. presser roll? a given blank for diverting saidblank.

isagain depressed and therocker arms 77 swung-tothe left. Inasmuch, however, as the. free end of the lever 39 is still above the projection 35, the catch 3l is not disengaged from the locking arm 37, and the chute can not be swungdownwardly. Instead, it remains in its horizontal position, the springs 73 yielding to prevent breakage ofparts. Consequently such a blank will be delivered from mechanism .to mechanism until it reaches a mechanism capable iofioperating upon its; thin locality. Similarly a blank having one end too thin to be operatednpon, whether it is presentedwith the thin endor with the thick end fiI'St'iWlll pass on to the succeeding .mechanism. In cases-such as those indicated above .the blank will thus be evened. approximately to the thickness-of its. thinnest portion. .Itshould be understood, however, that the mechanism of each.

and its associated parts, will operate to de liver. a runof blanks, the members of which are of substantially uniform although not the same thickness throughout, either to. the. receptacles or to the succeeding mechanism according to whether they have orhave not been operated upon. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters: Patent is I 1. A machine of the class describedhaving, in combination, a plurality of mechanisins arranged in series, one mechani-srn being constructed; to perform an operation upon blanks of a given degree of aselected characteristic and each succeeding mechanism being constructed to perform an operation upon blanks. possessing the selected characteristic in different degree, means for delivering blanks from one mechanism to. another, and, means operating automatically: to divert each blank dirom. the series as soon. as. ithas: been operated upon by any one of the. mechanisms but. to permitthe blank to-pass trommechanisI-n to mecha nism until it has. been operated upon.

2. A; machine of the class. described,.h-aving' in combination, a plurality of mecha nisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to perform an operation. upon blanksof agiven degree'ot a selected characteristicv and a succeeding -mechanism being constructed to performan operation upon blanks. possessing the selected charac-. teristic in. a different. degree, means for delivering a blank from one mechanism. to. another, and means. responsive to the degree of the selected characteristic possessed by 3. A machine of the classdescribed, having in coml'iination, a plurality of mecha- IllSIIlS arranged in series, one mechanism be.- ing constructedtooperate. upon blanks. of or above but. not below a. givendegreeof a selected characteristic and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks possessing the selected characteristic'in a lesser degree than is the preceding mechanism, means for delivering blanks from one mechanism to another until it has beenoperated upon, and means responsive to the movements of a preceding mechanism during its operation upon the blank for diverting the blank before it reaches the succeeding mechanism.

4. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a plurality of mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks of or above but not below a given degree of a selected characteristic and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks possessing the selected characteristic in a lesser degree than is the preceding mechanism, means for delivering blanks from one mechanism to another, and means responsive to the degree of the selected characteristic possessed by a given blank for diverting said blank.

5. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a plurality of mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks of or above but not below a given degree of" a selected characteristic and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks possessing the selected characteristic in a lesser degree than is the preceding mechanism, means for delivering blanks from one mechanism to another, and means responsive to the degree of the selected characteristic possessed by a given blank for controlling the operation of the delivering means. 1

6. A machine of the class described, having in combination, aplurality of mecha' nisms arranged inseries, one mechanism being constructed to perform an operation upon blanks of or above but not below a' given degree ofa selected characteristic and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to perform an operation upon blanks possessing the selected characteristic in a lesser degree thanthe preceding mechanism, and transferring means responsive to the degree of the characteristic possessed byany given blank capable of delivering that blank from one mechanism either toasucceeding mechanism or to a locality outside the machine. I

7. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a plurality of mecha nisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to perform an operation upon blanks of or above but'not below a given degree of a selected characteristic and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to perform' an operation" upon blanks posse si g he e ted chara teris in alesser degree than the preceding mechanism, and transferring means capable of delivering a blank from one mechanism either to a succeeding mechanism or to a locality outside the machine, said means being responsive to the degree of the selected characteristic )ossessed by the blank.

8. machine of the class described, having in combination, a plurality of mechanisms arranged in series one mechanism being constructed to perform an operation upon blanks of or above but not below a given degree of a selected characteristic and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to perform an operation upon blanks possessing the selected characteristic in a lesser degree than the preceding mechanism, transferring means capable of delivering a blank from one mechanism either to a succeeding mechanism or to a locality outside the machine, and means responsive to the degrees of theselected characteristic possessed by the blanks for controlling their delivery.

, 9. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a plurality of dimension-reducing mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks of or above but not be-. low a given extent of a selected dimension and a succeeding mechanism'being constructed to operate upon a blank of less extent in said dimension, means for transferring a blank from one mechanism to another, and means responsive to the dimension of the blank for diverting the blank from the series. I

10. A machine of the' class described, having in combinatioma plurality of dimensionreducing mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks of or above but not below a given extent of a selected dimension and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to operate upon a blankof less extent in said dimension, means for transferring a blank from one mechanism to another, and means responsive to the extent of the selected dimension for'diverting theblank'from the series. 1

' 1 1. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a plurality of splitting mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks of or above but=not below a given thickness 'and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to operate upon thinner blanks'and transferring means responsive to the thickness of a blank capable of delivering a blank from one mechanism either to-a succeeding mechanism or to a locality outside-1 the-machine.

12. A machine of the class described, having in combination, zaplllrali'tyof splitting mechanisms arranged; in; yseriegfene mechabeing rii tedg 91182 66: :n 'pon blanks of. or'above but-'-;nQt:,below.-1a given i y as: 1': ,1 :11 i ill in; Hg: thickness and a,succeechnqmechanism b8111 8: h

constructed to operate upon thinner blanks and, transferring ,means capable of deliverin a, blank from I one; mechanism, either to; a succeeding,mechanism or to a locality outside the machine,..said meansbeingresponsiveiin itsoperation to the thickness of the blank.-. 1-, 1. i 13. A machine of the; iclasssdescribed, having in combination, a plurality oigsplitting mechanisms arranged in series, one,.,mech a- "nism. being. constructed to operate ,upon blanks of. or .abovehbut (not, below, a give thickness. and a ,sucgeeding,mechanism being constructed; tojoperate. ,u on, thinner g blanks, itransferring" meanslica-pa, lle -ioifdelivering a blank from onemechanisin either to- 4' Sim- Lceeding i-mechanism ora -t0 val'lQcal-ity outside the. machine, T and means responsive tol the thickness of the blanks for controlling their delivery e I 1- I I14. .A machin .of theiclass described, having in GOIIlbi11ai1lCiI1,..-f1iplLlI'flllElY:Qi pl t g mechanisms "arr-an'ged i-n Ser e cone. medi 'ZDlSln being 'construcit'ednqtosepar t P i blanks of, or above butAnQt-QbBlOWZ-fl ,giv n thickness and a. succeeding;{mechan sm bei g constructed toiloperate upon, thinner (b nks, delivering, means lQc-atedbeflveen the mechanisms, and: ineans,,1'esponsive;- ;to the. thickness of the blank for causing the delivering meansto deliver, a blank :from mechanism to tnie chanzism gal-011g the -.series; until the blank has been operated n ponand then to divert the blank from the series. [15- A; machine (of the'xclassa .ingain.combinatiom a:plui I Tofrsplitting -.n1ech'anisnis arrangedrin series, one; mecha- .nisin-v being constructed tooperate upon blanks of orwaboveobutlnot belloxvJa given thickness and a succeeding mechanism being constructed vtogoperate.Iupon thinner blanks, anchilite movable intolone: position to direct blanks frjomnone\lmechanism, to thc otl'ieland into another position. to direct blanks outside the series, 1' v'andsmeans responsive to ,therthi'ckn'esses of the respective blanks for operating the chute.

. 'machineflof' the-classdescribed. ihavdescribed; havin combination, ;a plurality of. splitting 1 mechanisms'arrang eclin series, one mecha :n snrbeingconstructed vtot,operate upon blanks of or aboyebut notfbel'owi ;a- -giiven lthi :n'ess 'nd"aisucceedlnggmeehanisnr being (1- totoperate Juponthinner: blanks, io mall-y held: inn-position to direct I I he mechanisniitoethe;other, means 11 pensivetogtheioperiation upon a bla n-kfby in ne'- niecha t or moving the chute mm ion to aeilvathat blank (ai less 7 ,U I) o ,1,

b ,aiiks of or abox e b ut not below a given thickness and a succeeding mechanism be- ,constructed, to operate upon thinner b, ,n ks,. a chutevnormally held in position to directfljlaiik's from one mechanism to the otherbutmovable to another position, and means responsive to the thickness of each blank passed through the leading mechanism for controlling the position of the chute. A p

, l A machine of the class described, having-incombination, a plurality of splitting mechanis s arranged in series, one mecha- :niSII r being constructed tohoperate upon blanks of or above, but not belowa given thickness and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to,operate uponitliinner blanks, a :Qhflte, normally locked in positionto deliver hlanks f roin one mechanism toithe other,

and, means-for unlocking the chute and for moving it lintowa position to divert blanks fromthe machine. I

1 19., A machine of the class,described,'having in combination, a plurality of splitting mechanisms arranged in series onemechanisnr being constructedto operate upon blanks, of or ,abovebut not belo wv a given thickness and a succeeding mechanism being ,constructedto operate upOnQt-hinner blanks a chute normally locked in position to deliver bl anks from one nechanisrn to the other, and means operated .by a blankfas it passes through. a mechanism and responsive I to the thickness oftheblank for hrilopking the mechanisms each comprising separable feed 1 rolls; anda knife, arranged in series and con structed each to operate uponv a thinner blank thanis the preceding ,mechanism, meanszcapable of delivering blanks from eachmechanism except the lastone, either 1 to the succeeding .mechanism or. to a locality,outside the vmachine,; and meansvresponshe to the extent of separation of the rolls for controlling the operation of the de livery-means.

21, machine of the described, "having in combination, a plurality of split- "ting mechanisms, eac 1.comprising separable feed rolls anda knife, arranged inseries iand constructed each ftO operate upona thinner blank than is the preceding mechanism, a .cl1-il1te..located between each. two amechanisins normally in position to deliver a -blanljcfrom,s;one mechanisinto the other, a ulocklfor holding the Clllltfii in this position, means operated by. bodily movement of one v-of stheflrollsion-unlocking the chute, and means operated by .b.odily. movementv of the rather roll for'mo'ving the chute inte position tojhririflablafik'frdi'njthehseries.

22. A machine of the class described, ham

' presentation of nflame meclian'isms'arran'ged in'seriesga dnstr'ucted each topfoperate upon a thinner blank than is fthe' preceding m'eclianism, each imechanism eXceptthe-last crimpris'ing a; feed roll, a, gage roll bodil'y movable 't on' a'rd an fir sc ether mans fe is in a bl nk .p l t-sits th iieeh nism rtd ll before it In Ov Qs the lf eid rOll,

the gage ,ro

a. ,chnte extending H I I mechanism, means controlled 1 by roll "for flockingfan d unlocking ,the chute,

and; meanscontrolled by the feed' roll for moving the chute. 7

i 'p t a manages, dated in the 'rear lthereof and, two positions to "deliver, blanks two localities, means f r lockin in position to deliv e 'r't o ne' lfc alit y,nieans operated ,by;1. a blag-k in, its passage through the mechanism for unlocking the chute, moving it into position to deliver to the other locality and for locking it in the lastnamed position, and means responsive to the a succeeding blank to the mechanism for unlocking the chute, returning it to its first-named position and looking it again. i

24. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a plurality of splitting mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to operate upon blanks of or above but not below a given thickness and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to operate upon thinner blanks, transferring means movable into two positions either to deliver a blank from one mechanism to the succeeding mechanism or to divert it to a point outside the machine, means responsive to a locality in a blank thick enough to be operated upon for moving the transferring means to diverting position, and means responsive to a succeeding locality not thick enough to be operated upon for moving the transferring means to delivering position.

25. A machine for operating upon a blank of uneven thickness, having in combination, a plurality of splitting mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to operate to some extent upon a blank having a locality of or above a given thickness and a succeeding mechanism being constructed to operate upon a blank having a locality of less than the given thickness, transferring means capable of being oper ated to deliver the blank from the first mechanism either to the succeeding mechanism or to a point outside the machine, and means responsive to the thickness of the thinnest locality of the blank for controlling the operation of the transferring means.

I 26. A machine for operating upon blanks of difierent thicknesses, having in combina- 1 of splitting- "mthanisms p sfeachj'siicceeding' mecha- 1i"ism bei1ig'adapte'd-to operate upon thinncr blanks than is the precedingmechanism, *ii dufians re sponsivetothe thickness of a blankfpresented' tq then'iachine, for transferrin'g 'itffrom mechanism, to 'ine'chanisn'i 'iin'til it li asbeen' operated upon.

\ 27. K1 machine f-or operatingupon blanks "of "dilfreiiftliicknesses,{h'aving in conibina'-" a; it. an. or sna I m nse -arranged inseries, (ch succeedingmechanism being adapted tot operate upon 'tliinner blaiiil'rslftliganBis. -the receding me'cli'anism, meansrespons veto the tl i 'ckness of ablank SO pres'e'ritfd to. the machine for transferring it ,fronr nejclianism' to mechanism until ithas for there- {after diverting 1t fronl'ltlie' series n a h, r -sa s c ri a av ing in""coiiibina ion, a plurality of-sets of selective blank-engaging mechanisms arranged in series each succeeding mechanism being constructed and arranged tobe responsive to a thinner blank than is the preceding mechanism, means for delivering the blanks from one mechanism to another, and means responsive to the thickness of any given blank for diverting blanks from the series.

29. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a plurality of sets of selective blank-engaging mechanisms arranged in series each succeeding mechanism being constructed and arranged to be re- 1 sponsive to a thinner blank than is the preceding mechanism, means for delivering the blanks from one mechanism to another, and automatic means responsive to the thicknesses of the blanks for diverting each blank from p the series after it has been engaged by that mechanism which responds to its particular thickness and before it reaches the next succeeding mechanism.

30. A machine of the class described, havmg in combination, a series of pairs of rolls, the rolls of each pair being separated from each other by a distance less than that by which the preceding pair is separated, means for delivering a blank from one pair to another of the series until the blank is engaged by that pair the distance between which is set to respond to the thickness of the blank, and means operating then to divert the blank from the series.

31. A machine of the class described, having in. combination, a plurality of sets of selective blank-engaging mechanisms arranged in series, each succeedingmechanism being constructed and arranged to be responsive to a thinner blank than is the preceding mechanism, means for moving a blank in a path to present it from one mechanism to another, andmeans operated by that mechanlsm which is arranged to be responsive to the thickness of that particular blank for diverting the blank from the path and thereby preventing its reaching the next succeeding mechanism.

32. A machine for sorting blanks in accordance with their thicknesses, having in combination, a plurality of pairs of members, one member of each pair being arranged to be moved away from the other by the passage of a blank between them, means for delivering a blank from one pair touthe succeeding pair, and means controlled by the amount of separation of the members for diverting the blank from the machine.

33. A machine for sorting blanks in accordance with their respective thicknesses, having in combination, a plurality of sets of rolls, one member of each set being arranged to be moved away from the other by at the passage of a blank between them, means for delivering a blank from one set to the succeeding set, and means controlled by the amount of separation of the rolls for divert ing the blankfrom the machine.

34:. A machine of the class described, having in combination, a plurality of blankengaging mechanisms arranged in series, one mechanism being constructed to be re sponsive to blanks having a given degree of a selected characteristic, and a succeeding mechanism being responsive to blanks having the selected characteristic in a difi'erent degree, means for delivering blanks from one mechanism to another, and means for diverting each blank from the machine as soon as it has passed through that mechanism which responds to its particular degree of the selected characteristic.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM C. STEWVART. 

